New Craftie Lady Jill Kemerer!

Hi everyone! Jill Kemerer here. This is my first post as a Craftie Lady, and I couldn't be more excited! You see, I was one of the very first followers of this blog way back when all of my publishing dreams seemed impossible and far off. I've been reading Love Inspired books for years. When I got the "call" in May 2014 that I'd finally sold to LI, I cried big, ugly thank you tears. My second novel, Unexpected Family, hit store shelves yesterday. I'm pinching myself!

Let me tell you a bit about myself. I married my high school sweetheart. Here we are at a Toledo Mudhens game. The first picture is typical. I don't remember what he said, but it obviously annoyed me! The second picture is us playing nice. :) The sun was really bright, so I kind of look like I don't have eyes. Sorry about that. I do have eyes. I promise. 

I live outside of Toledo, Ohio with Mr. Funny Guy up there, two teens and one needy mini-dachshund. Years ago I was an electrical engineer, then I became a stay-at-home mom, and now I'm a full time writer. My commute is about twenty steps upstairs. No complaints here. :)

I'm not a morning person. Coffee is about the only thing I truly look forward to when waking up. I load it with a lot of flavored creamer, and I do not stop at one cup of joe. I'm more of a 2-3 cups gal. The Cinnabon flavor is amazing. Yum! Once a mug of coffee is in my hand, I spend time reading the Bible and praying. Without prayer, I get frazzled. Coffee and prayer--essentials of my life.

An hour or two later, I find my groove. My dear friend and neighbor keeps me in shape. We do yoga together twice a week, and our dogs join in. They chase each other through our poses, and they love every minute of it. The rest of my day is spent plotting, writing, revising or promoting.

Our kids are busy in sports, so I spend a lot of time at their events or carpooling with other parents. During my free time, I love taking long walks in the gorgeous parks around our area. My favorite hobby is reading. I read Christian romance novels, historical romance novels, classics, nonfiction, magazines and the occasional bestseller.  Besides that, I'll be teaching preschoolers at Sunday school again this year. They are so cute!

Besides that I occasionally try my hand at crafts. This usually means a $75 run to Hobby Lobby, burning myself on the hot glue gun, and ending up with a mediocre wreath or similar item. Still, I tried.

So there you have it--Jill Kemerer in a nutshell. Is there anything else you'd like to know? Feel free to ask!

Unexpected Family, is in stores now, and the digital book will be available September 1, 2015. Click HERE for links to all major online retailers.

His Surprise Daughter 

After five years apart, Tom Sheffield is shocked to find his ex-wife, Stephanie, on his doorstep. The news that they share a child he's never met sends him reeling. Four-year-old Macy has his eyes, his mouth and, from their first encounter, his heart. Things with her mother are much more complicated. He doesn't understand what went wrong between them or why she kept their daughter a secret. And he's afraid of falling in love all over again. Yet he feels a glimmer of hope that somehow he can convince Macy and Stephanie to stay in Lake Endwell—and with him—for keeps.

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Fess up--do you love coffee in the morning? If yes, how do you take yours? If not, what motivates you to get out of your warm, cozy bed? 

Have a terrific day!